Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-24
BEAus AND BELLIES AT WAR.
Young Men Banished who Drink or
SmOke--A Serieus Revolt--NO One
Now to Sit mp With the Girls.

Newton, n j., dispatch: There isn't
| prettier town in New Jersey than this
county seat of Sussex, and there is no
spot, from Cape May northward, where
there are more pretty. buxom, bright girls.
Counting is done here by the wholesale,
and the Newton youth has every opportu>
nifty for the choicest kind of love making
The girls here are d power Individual
ly they exert great deal OF influences, but
collectively they are almost OmDipotent--
AT least, they have been, up TO the pres
ent time. Just now they are in deadly
struggle to see just how widespread their
influence is.
A temperance wave struck the town
| during the winter ana the red ribbon
adorned nearly every girls dress. and it
stuck in the lapels OF good many of the
vests of the young men. The wave lasted
As far as the girls were concerned, but the
Young men fell back into the old way;
they went to the saloons and hotels, and
took drinks between each game of bill
lizards This made the girls sad at first
and then mad. They put a veto on ex-
tensive co1ring.
Finally the girls organized regular
society for the suppression of drinking
The bylaws bound each member to for
bid the attention of any young man that
was known TO drink or frequent saloons
or billiard parlors. The society took the
name of the "Maiden's Mutual Protection
Band
That WAS about fortnight ago, in less
than three days over fifty of the pIettIest,
brightest and most admired girls in the
town signed the pledge and paid the small
imitation fee. A black list was prepared,
on which was estered the name of every
young man ths t had loose habits or drank
even glass of beer Al the third meeting
the question of smoking arose. and BY a
close vote it was decided to put young men
who used the weed ON the list The mi
uority reluctantly consented but several Of
them have been known to have entertained
smokers on the quiet in the parl6r even
ings. but no drinkers have been allowed to
cross the threshhold of any members
hoHse. Printed copies of the bylaws and
pledges were circulated among the young
men, and at once 1t raised the biggest
kind Of row. Several very susceptible
youths swore off at once and gave up
billiards, bowling and all the liquid ac>
compartments of those games. But
great many of the most prominent young
men revolled. They held a meeting
early this week in one of the hotels and
determined they would not be dictated
to. Two of the ha6dsomest fellows who
have hitherto been in great demand said
| the girls would soon get tired of the farce,
and the society would sink into obliv-
| ion. Most of the Young men resolved 10
torego female companionship and stick
to the rollicking pastimes of the bache
lors They at once took the aggressive
| They cut their old flames dead when
they passed them on the streets. despite
the sunny smiles that greeted them
| They have formed billiard aud card clubs
and are prepared TO fight it ont if it lakes
all summer. IN fact, they await the
coming OF summer with grim satisfaction
| They say they can go down 10 Swart>
wood lake and camp out uumotested by
Iroup of girls every afternoon, who
| will want TO he rowed and given lemon
adc and sandwiches. So far both sides
| are firm. The girls sit with the old
folks in the hack room. The Young
men are certainly having the best time
They congregAtc every night play bill
| lizards or cards. smoke, chat, and drink.
and 90 home quite mellow at the hewi,ch
ing hour of midnight or thereabouts.
Thgee are some heavy hearts. of course.
Three or four engagements have been
broken. and lovers and sweethearts pine
! for The good old DAYS